If every christian sudden disappeared from earth(aka rapture), how would this effect your beliefs?

Question

Serious answers only.

I am not christian nor have I claimed to be, I just asking a "IF" question... I find this belief probably the most crazy of all beliefs I have heard of from the different religions.

Answer 1

It would mean that the Bible is wrong!

“Another parable put He forth unto them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, ‘Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares?’ He said unto them, ‘An enemy hath done this.’ The servants said unto him, ‘Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.’’” (Matthew 13:24 – 29 KJV)

Now that is an interesting story, and it can be a little confusing; fortunately, because the disciples found this story a little confusing they also and asked Jesus to explain if further. Because our God is not a God of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33), Jesus explained what this parable meant.

“Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, ‘Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.’ He answered and said unto them, ‘He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.’” (Matthew 13:36 – 42 KJV)

A closer study of this parable would seem to completely disprove the theory of a secret rapture of the church. Let’s take a look at what Jesus had to say about the time of the end through this parable. There are two groups on the earth represented by the wheat (the good or the church) and the tares (the evil). The workers of the field (probably representing angels) are troubled by the tares that the evil one (the devil) has planted. They ask the farmer (Jesus) if they should gather the weeds now and purify the field (the world). The farmer (Jesus) said that it should not happen that way because some of the wheat may come up with the tares. He then declares, “Let both grow together until the harvest (the end of the world): and in the time of harvest (the end of the world) I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.” I find it hard to be a proponent of a secret rapture for the church when Jesus said that both the good and the evil will grow together until the harvest (the end of the world). How can the church be raptured, leaving the evil on the earth, when Jesus said they will be together until the very end?

There is another issue raised by this parable. Many well intentioned Christians use the story in Matthew 24:40 & 41 and Luke 17:34 – 36 as key proof of a secret rapture for the church, but if we examine this story about the end times with the earlier story Jesus told about the end times in Matthew 13, we get a completely different picture from what most Christians interpret this story to mean. Let’s look at what Jesus said in these verses.

“Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” (Matthew 24:40 – 42 KJV)

“I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” (Luke 17:34 – 36 KJV)

Now I do not think that I am wrong in thinking that most Christians interpret these stories to mean that the man taken from the field, the woman that is taken while grinding, and the man taken in his sleep are the ones that belong to the group that is the church and are ruptured. This does not seem to be a plausible explanation however. Jesus gives an order for things to happen back in Matthew 13. “Gather ye together first the tares (the evil), and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat (the good or the church) into my barn.” Jesus clearly says that the evil will be gathered first. If we take this understanding and apply it to Matthew 24 and Luke 17, we get a very different understanding. The ones that are taken are not in the group we want to be in. The ones who are taken are the tares (the evil) that are being gathered to be burned, but the ones that are left are the wheat (the good) that are saved.

There is another metaphor that many well intentioned Christians use to support a secret rapture for the church; I feel that this too is an invalid interpretation of a story.

“But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 24:43 & 44 KJV)

“And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.” (Luke 12:39 & 40 KJV)

“For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2 KJV)

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” (2 Peter 3:10 KJV)

“Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” (Revelation 16:15 KJV)

Here again, most Christians would attempt to say that this metaphor of a thief in the night is depicting a secret rapture for the church. I believe that most Christians have misinterpreted this too. First, Jesus explains what this metaphor means. He says that the meaning is not that the second coming is a secret but we do not know when it will occur. If we knew what day the Lord was to come, we would get ready the day before it, but since we do not know the day or the hour (Matthew 24:36), we must be ever ready! Just examine what Peter had to say of this metaphor in 2 Peter 3:10; he says that when the Lord comes as a thief,” the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, the elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therine shall be burned up.” Now I am not sure how all that could be kept a secret from anyone or how people would be able to live on the earth when it has passed away, burned up, and all the elements in it have melted.

Answer 2

Im not christian but i will assume that it means that only devout christians get the ticket. Probably not that many people would be effected, a few here and there, so the rest of the population wouldnt notice. Im jewish. My religion teaches that when certain conditions are met the messiah will come to this earth. The dead will be reborn and the righteous of all religions will get a share in the world to come. Personally I hope that certain dead people stay dead such as a lot of those arab terrorists that israel has managed to eliminate (not talking about civilians in lebanon), serial killers, etc. The messiah will have his hands full with those types. Christians believe that jesus will return again. I guess he didnt do an adequate job the first time. The jews dont really think that jesus was the messiah. There have been others in history who have claimed to be the Messiah. One was a guy named Shabtai Zvi. He lived in the 1600s. It was a difficult time for jews as most times are. Anyway he wound up in Turkey before the ruling sultan. A good devout muslim as this turkish sultan was,he was he offered this erstwhile messiah that developed a large following a bargain. He could proclaim that he was the messiah to all the world but the sultan would remove his head for him and make him a martyr. Or he could convert to Islam, the religion of peace. He choose the religion of peace. His followers saw the value of islam as a religion and all converted to. They remained in turkey as muslims but secretly practiced judaism. they became sucessful merchants and never intermarried with the local people. Eventually in the modern age they did intermarry. They became sucessful and wealthy. All the other turks around knew that they were still practicing judaism on the sly but didnt mind. Turkey is a more tolerant country than most other places that Islam exists; except maybe in countries like the USA that doesnt tolerate extremists. In 1947 after the miracle where God gave the land of Israel back to the jews; they were offered the right of return. Most of them declined and said that they were happy remaining in Turkey and being pseud muslims. Anyway, if you go away in the rapture good luck.

Answer 3

This belief in the magical ascension of all Christians into heaven I find the most ridiculous of all the elements of belief touted by fundamentalist Christians. This is no less comical than Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty or the Wizard of Oz. They're great as stories, but come on.....Do you actually expect to be sucked off the planet into some unknown place and then go on living? How can you believe this and at the same time trust your doctor to prescribe the right medicine, perform surgery and set a fracture? The cognitive disconnect must be overwhelming.

Answer 4

ONLY the Christians disappeared? Anything else happening?

Because if everyone except the agnostics disappeared, I'd assume that my thesis that during the rapture the agnostics inherit the earth was correct! Except I'd like to see whether or not I'd get those superpowers I was hoping for.

Answer 5

I have a better question what if the great tribulation broke out and your still here? Would you feel you were left behind?
Would you think you were a bad person?
Guess what the great tribulation is happening and I think your still here. Floods thousands died in North Korea this week.
millions are dieing of AIDs.
If all children are raptured out who is going to take care of all those children without their parents. And are all children good?
I have some real questions about that.

Answer 6

ROFLMAO

Darby.
Rapture 1830 was formulated

The story goes that a woman was sick and delirious, Darby was at her bed side, she rambled and WA la the Rapture doctrine is formed. Spread like wild fire.

Don't you believe it!

There is a time at the END when Christ returns to earth the set up his kingdom that the faithful will be transfigured and rise to meet him and descend back to earth with him.
BUT the rapture says you will fly away from the anti-Christ with Christ to heaven. BS!!!!
We are here to be tested

Answer 7

Good question. I'm not sure because many of those who tell me they are christians have a strange idea of love for their fellow man. Likely the name "Christian" will not be the only qualifier to be accepted into the rapture. In peace.

Answer 8

I will be among those raptured, Praise the Lord!! But those who are left behind will eventually bend their knee and call out the name of God! And by the way.... "Better late than never" does not apply here. Jesus is coming back in our life time. Are you all ready? I know I am. Praise the Lord!!!

Romans 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

Answer 9

What are your issues with Christianity?

Do you lie for your own connivance?

Have you ever stolen something?

Are your relationships with Young Ladies reflective of the highest moral values?

My asking you these questions is just as valid as your question to the public is!

Answer 10

I think christianity is a trend for most (not all) and like if everyone converted to a different religion they would jump to that one. Kind of celebs and everything.